Wearing apparel and method of making the same



July 14, 1936. G. SCHNEIDER APPAREL AND METHOD "WEARING OF MAKING THESAME Filed July 10, 1955 Patented July 14, 1936 TE orrl c WEAG PiElL ANDll/MTHQDM @F one s George Schneider, Montclair, N. .l., aesignor toCelanese Corporation oil tion of Delaware erica, a corpora- ApplloationJuly W, 1933, Serial No. tiiiMiild it tillaims.

This invention relates to wearing apparel and relatesv more particularlyto the formation of wearing apparel by shaping textile materialscomprising thermoplastic derivatives of cellulose by the use of heat.

An object of my invention is to form wearing apparel in an economicaland expeditious manner by shaping textile materials comprising filamentsof thermoplastic derivatives of cellulose with the aid 01 heat. Otherobjects of this invention will appear from the following detaileddescription.

The formation of wearing apparel, such as brassieres, caps, hats,suspensories, etc. having shapes in three dimensions is relativelycomplicated, since in order to obtain the desired shape, it is necessaryto form them from a relatively large number of small pieces of fabric,usually by sewing.

I have found that such wearing apparel can be formed very simply andexpeditiously by shaping with the aid of heat relatively flat textilema-- terials, such as fabrics, comprising filaments of thermoplasticderivatives of cellulose. Under the influence of heat, the filaments ofthe thermoplastic derivatives of cellulose become suificiently soft orplastic to assume the shape of the forming device, and upon coolingharden into such shape. Because of the moulding efieet of such"operation, the articles so formed retain their shape substantiallypermanently and therefore do not become distorted when exposed to theelements or when subjected to repeated washings. This method of formingsuch wearing apparel also avoids the necessity oi sewing together ofsmall pieces of fabric.

In accordance with my invention, then, 13 form wearing apparel fromtextile materials comprising filaments of thermoplastic derivatives ofcellulose by imparting the desired shape to such textile materials undersuch conditions that the filaments are rendered at least partiallyplastic. Any suitable wearing apparel may be made by this invention.However it is of particular importance in-connection withthe formationof wearing apparel that have shapes in three dimensions. Examples ofsuch wearing apparel are brassieres, suspensories, men's and womenshatsor hat shapes, caps, girdles and the like.

The filaments contained in the textile material to be treated may bemade of any suitable thermoplastic derivative of cellulose particularlyorganic derivatives 01' cellulose such as organic esters or celluloseand cellulose ethers. Examples of organic esters of cellulose arecellulose acetate, cellulose formate, cellulose proplonate and cellulosebutyrate, while examples of cellulose ethers are ethyl cellulose, methylcellulose and benzyl cellulose. The filaments may be present insubstantially continuous lengths or they may be in the 5 form of shortor staple lengths associated together to form" spun yarn. The textilematerial may consist wholly oi such filaments or yarns containing suchfilaments, or it may contain in addition yarns of other fibres such asnatural 10 silhreconstituted cellulose, silk or wool.

'The textile material may be a suitable fabric which may be woven,circular knitted, warp knitted or netted and may contain yarns of finefilaments of organic derivatives of cellulose. On 1 the other hand thetextile material may be heavier material such as may be made by weavingor braiding heavier filaments, such as artificial hair,

bristles or straws of the organic derivative of the textile material butalso with the prevailing conditions, such as the amount of waterpresent. Thus if a fabric made of yarns of acetone-soluble celluloseacetate is shaped between or on forming devices in the absence of wateror steam, the temperature of such devices should preferably be above 1250., while the upper temperature limit should be below 180 C. if it isdesired to avoid coalescence of the cellulose acetate filaments and theconsequent stiffening of the material, while temperatures above 180 C.but below the temperature of decomposition may be employed'whencoalescence of the filaments and stiffening of the material is desired.

I have found that the presence of water in the form of liquid or vaporreduces the tempera ture required to obtain the degree of plasticity ofthe thermoplastic derivative of cellulose required for impartingpermanent shape to the textile material. If steam is present during theshaping'operation, temperatures of about 100 C. are generallysufllcient. If the textile ma terial is wet with water during theshaping operation, temperatures of to C. will produce the desiredresult.

In carrying out the shaping operation any suitable devices andexpedients may be employed. For instance the flat textile material maybe placed between the male and female members of 55' mold-like devicesof desired shape which may be heated internally or externally byordinary steam, superheated steam, steam under pressure, electricalresistance, flames and the like. Such devices may be providedwith'means, such as perforations or jets, to supply steam to the textilematerial in order to facilitate the shaping of the same. Alternatively,the flat textile material may be placed over a heated form and drawnunder suitably applied tension over such form until the desired shape isimparted.

When the textile material is shaped while wet with water, it may beimmersed in hot water and then shaped between the mold-like members orover the forms. In this case, the'molds or forms need not necessarily beprovided with independent heating means, since after the placing of thetextile material between the mold-like members or over the forms, theassembly may be immersed in hot water and permitted to remain for theperiod of time required to impart the relatively permanent shape to thetextile material.

If it is desired to impart stiffness to the wearing apparel, such as inthe case of hats or hat forms, being made, this-may be done in severalways. Thus if the temperatures employed during the shaping are highenough to cause coalescence or melting of the thermoplastic derivativeof cellulose, stiffness is imparted. Other expedients for impartingstiffness are the use of active solvents which coalesce the filaments,examples of such solvents for cellulose acetate being acetone, methylacetate and dioxan. Solutions of the derivatives of cellulose which maybe the same or different from the thermoplastic derivative of cellulosepresent in the textile material dissolved in liquids having a solventaction on such thermoplastic derivative of cellulose may also be appliedto the textile material to impart stiffness.

However, when it is desired to retain completely the originalfabric-like structure or appearance of the textile materials, I preferto impart stiffness by applying to the textile material either prior to,during, or subsequent to the shaping operation, sizes or stiffeningagents comprising suitable solids dissolved in liquids that have noappreciable action on the thermoplastic derivative of cellulose presentin the textile material, such as dammar, copal, elemi, or other resinsdissolved in turpentine, solutions of gelatine in water, or solutions ofcellulose nitrate or other cellulose derivatives having differentsolubility characteristics from the thermoplastic derivative ofcellulose present in the textile material dissolved in solvents havingno solvent action on the thermoplastic derivative of cellulose.

Reference is bad to the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is aperspective view of a brassiere, and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a hat.

In Figure 1, the brassiere l comprises the bulging portions 2 which aremade of a fabric consisting wholly of cellulose acetate yarn and shapedin accordance with this invention.

In Figure 2, the hat 3 has its body portion shaped of fabric made ofcellulose acetate yarn in accordance with this invention.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is givenmerely by way of illustration and many variations may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the step of fashioningtextile materials comprising filaments of thermoplastic derivatives ofcellulose under such conditions as to render the thermoplasticderivative of cellulose at least par- 5 tially plastic.

2. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the step of fashioningtextile materials comprising filaments of cellulose acetate under suchconditions as to render the cellulose acetate at least 10 partiallyplastic.

3. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the step of fashioningtextile materials comprising filaments of thermoplastic derivatives ofcellulose at such elevated temperatures that under 16 the conditionsprevailing the thermoplastic derivative of cellulose is rendered atleast partially plastic.

4. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the step of fashioningtextile materials compris- 20 ing filaments of cellulose acetate at suchelevated temperatures that under the conditions prevailing the celluloseacetate is rendered at least partially plastic.

5. In the method of forming wearing apparel, 25 the steps of fashioninga textile material comprising filaments of thermoplastic derivatives ofcellulose by means of a heated device of required shape and thencooling, whereby relatively permanent shape is imparted thereto.

6. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the steps of fashioning atextile material comprising filaments of cellulose acetate by means of aheated device of required shape and then cooling, whereby relativelypermanent shape is 35 imparted thereto.

7. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the step of fashioningtextile material comprising filaments of thermoplastic derivatives ofcellulose at elevated temperatures in the presence of water.

8. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the step of fashioningtextile material comprising filaments of cellulose acetate at elevatedtemperatures in the presence of water.

9. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the step of fashioningtextile material comprising filaments of cellulose acetate at elevatedtemperatures in the presence of liquid water.

10. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the step of fashioningtextile material comprising 50 filaments of cellulose acetate atelevated temperatures in the presence of steam.

11. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the step of fashioningtextile material comprising filaments of cellulose acetate between hotmolding 5 members.

12. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the step of fashioningtextile material comprising filaments of cellulose acetate around a hotform.

13. In the method of forming wearing apparel, 60 the steps of wetting atextile material comprising filaments of cellulose acetate andfashioning the same while wet with a hot shaping device.

14. In the method of forming wearing apparel, the steps of wetting atextile material comprising 65 filaments of cellulose acetate, andfashioning the material by closely fitting the same over a form andimmersing the assembly in hot water.

15. Fashioned wearing apparel containing filaments of thermoplasticderivatives of cellulose 70 and molded into a predetermined shape.

16. Fashioned wearing apparel containing filaments of cellulose acetateand molded into a predetermined shape.

GEORGE SCHNEIDER.

